Aftermarket speedo error...

[madjap]

Hey, bought a 2 1/4 inch Drag Specialties (2:1) speedo last winter and put it on my chop. 72 650, stock front end (19" wheel / tire, gearing, you know) but it looks to be reading about TWICE as fast as it should be! Anybody else experience this? I was told this was the right (2:1) ratio to order, was I wrong?

 

[jetmechmarty]

It's wrong. As far as I know, there is no aftermarket cable driven speedometer available in the correct ratio. Yamaha is 2.9:1. I believe that's true for all of the XS series motorcycles.

 

[B Burdine97]

I see plenty of cable driven speedometers on mikes website that say they will work with the xs650 factory cable drive? But the more i look at them they say the ratio is 2:1 and your saying the ratio is acually 2.9:1, looks like false advertising to me.. Sad

 

[jetmechmarty]

Yes, the Mike's XS speedometer indicates, but it is not correct. Yes, they should point that out, but they wouldn't sell as many speedometers.

 

[madjap]

Yes, the Mike's XS speedometer indicates, but it is not correct. Yes, they should point that out, but they wouldn't sell as many speedometers.

HA! Well, I guess it FITS, the cable DRIVES the speedo, so it does 'WORK' with the XS650... Jeez, I wonder if Bill Clinton designed the sales pitch for these things...? "Well, it depends on what your definition of IS, is..." Thanks guys. Looks like I'll be 'modding' a speedo face huh?

 

[B Burdine97]

So there are no aftermarket speedometers that adapt to the factory cable drive and are the correct ratio? Bummer.

 

[jetmechmarty]

So there are no aftermarket speedometers that adapt to the factory cable drive and are the correct ratio? Bummer.

That is correct. You have to use an OEM unit or electronic.

 

[mrtwowheel]

I'm in the US and bought a KPH speedometer on ebay for +- $8 with the idea of calibrating it with some sort of markings. I've thought of masking off the face and etching in some marks with the sandblaster. A disassembly and new face would be better, but...........

Any ideas about making some good colored markings on an aftermarket speedometer?

Scott

 

[B Burdine97]

Fine tip paint pen?.. All I can think of. Or use a scribe of some sort but that'd be hard to see while riding most likely.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Here is the quote concerning speedometres from Mikesxs site:
"Ratios are correct & match originals on All models of
650's."

I believe that is called fraud, but this is common with Mikesxs. Some carb re-build kits also come with wrong jets. As a buyer of these parts, all you can do is send them back for a refund.
A company with integrity would not knowingly sell incorrect parts, so draw your own conclusion about the company.

A class action suit would be a way to get revenge on these kind of companies.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

That 2:1 ratio is a Harley thing.
2240 rpm at 60mph is jap bike ratio.
I ran a Honda CB550 speedo on my other XS1B, worked well.

Look at Pete's post here:

http://www.xs650.com/posts/72801/

For more, search on "speedo ratio".

 

[retiredgentleman]

Here's another post from a few years ago:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/2-mini-speedometer-what-ratio.18013/

Pamcopete with his good mathematics, came up with a ratio of 1: 2.828. Xsleo did a rough calculation and saw it was 1:3.
With Pete's calculations, 60 mph = 792 wheel rpm = 2240 speedo cable rpm = a ratio of 1: 2.828.
If guys buy a speedo with a 1: 2 ratio as sold by many aftermarket sellers:
The speedo expects to see 1584 cable rpm (2 X 792) , but actually sees 2240 rpm which would read 2240/1584 X 60mph = 84.8 mph indicated on the speedo. So that's 24.8 mph error or 41% error.

I can't believe guys would buy a speedo with that much error. It would be useless for actually knowing your speed on the highway.

 

[pamcopete]

There are certain Harley models that use the standard Japanese ratio of 2240 RPM at 60 MPH:

2240:60 Ratio Speedometers: Fit all softail and 4 speed FXWG models from 1984 through 1990 and 4 speed FL models with front wheel speedometer drives from 1981 through 1984. Others say "late 1989 to 1995" also use the 2240 @ 60 MPH Japanese standard. There are lots of aftermarket speedos for Harley's, so just look for one you like with that ratio. Check this info first for accuracy.

Note: 2240:60 is not a ratio per se, but the standard reference for the RPM of the speedo cable @ 60 MPH. The actual ratio of the speedo drive on the front wheel hub is as described in RG's post above.

Note2: The standard Japanese 2240 @ 60 MPH is just that. You can use virtually any Japanese speedo from any Japanese bike on the XS650.

Here is an example in reverse. My 1974 Honda CB750 with an XS650 64 spoke front wheel and the stock Honda speedo.:

 

[B Burdine97]

Great information guys! It does grind my gears that mikexs (most likley) knowingly sells these speedos saying they are correct when in all reality they arent.. So any 2240 rpm @ 60 mph speedo should work with the xs650 assuming it fits onto the stock speedo cable?

 

[FLEA]

does that mean if we get booked for speeding we can send the fine to mikes xs

 

[jetmechmarty]

Great information guys! It does grind my gears that mikexs (most likley) knowingly sells these speedos saying they are correct when in all reality they arent.. So any 2240 rpm @ 60 mph speedo should work with the xs650 assuming it fits onto the stock speedo cable?

2240 rpm @ 60 is not the same as the Yamaha ratio. The Yamaha @ 2.83:1 or 2.9:1, whatever it is, is all alone. If they were available for Yamaha, Mike's would be selling it. (I would hope!)